Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-05-26
The Kansas Golden BELT

FsAsopf, kaa,, May II, 1887,
Dear NJ kditsr
have been sometime nov In this beautiful
country, AZ . state, Kansas is a marvel,
have though, my old neighbofe on MoMahon's
creek, and indeed all your readers, would be
pleased TO have q candid aud dispAsslonAtu nc.
cout OF this state about which there ie 20
much Haid now, must say this is the mos.
charming region have ever been in. Central
Kansas is now a. beautiful as bride in her
robes, The wheat clover aud oats cover the
ground now MAY l0) perfectly, The corn
has all been worked over once, and many
farmers are over theirs twice, and some even
three times. This is surely the farmers para.
dice. For productions never saw the equal
OF this Golden Belt, as they call It, by which
they mean few tiers OF counties through
Kansas from north to south In which, all
agree In saying, there has never been failure
OF crope. Hundreds Of thousands Of bushels
Of corn have been marketed at Peabody this
winter and spring, and to feeders; that is, not
q bushel OF 1t is shipped, but all lie fed to cats
tie and hogs right here. One man alone has
fed aud shipped 334S head of fat steers dur
ing the last twelve months, and realized for
them S2lS, $50. And he is only one Of seven-
teen parties engaged In the business They
claim this is the largest shipping point o.
corn-fed cattle in the state. Corn can be
raised here, they say, FOR cents per bushel,
They ride when they plow; when they plant
and sow;iwhen they cultivate, and when they
harvest.
A former Belmont county man living
near this city has 200 acres in corn, in
one field, iu the Doyle bottom, and has il
worked over twice on his riding cultivstors.
He used to farm near Jacobsburgh, and the
contrast is 30 great between his farm there
and here that he pretends to be wonderfully
tickled. He put up last year for his own use
$50 tons Of hay. He is breeder Of Shorts
horRs. He had q public sale last year, at
which time he sold from his herd $l2, 200
worth and had IS head left. have seen his
herd and they are surely very fue. He
weighed for me two year old Cruickshsnk
heifer which tipped the beam at 1880 pounds.
They have been on grass for month or more
are shed off, and smooth and sleek as moles
great brosd-backed, round-ribbed, short
legged beauties.
This is great thoroughbred stock breeding
centre. Besides many first class Short>horn
herds, there are several Holstien, Hereford,
Jersey, Guernsey and Galloway herds in this
| vicinity. A stallion was sold in this city the
other day for even $4,000. An imported
stallion costing $4,000 is also owned here
There is said to be big money in cattle and
horses In Kansas now. Climate, feed, every
thing is favorable to their breeding, and the
market is always good.
The first thing that charms you in this state
Is the climate. With the exception Of three
weeks building went on all winter in this
city. February and March were splendid
months for outdoor work. The winter lasts
usually from Christmssto February 1st. Oats
Is always sown here in February. The roads
were smooth and hard as a turnpike all winter,
and hauling stone and sand was never inter
rupted for single week all winter. The at>
mosphere is pure and invigorating, the nights
are cool and brscing, and you sleep soundly
and wake refreshed and full of life and vigor.
/ have not found man in this state who has
ever lost q minutes sleep from mosquitoes.
They all sleep and eat well here, and hence
there is very little sickness here. Persons
who have come from Minnesota, Wisconsin.
and New York with catarrh and asthma, ine
folm they are perfectly we'll here.
Peabody is q young, vigorous city Of 5000
population; has four banks, six churches, a
free public library of 5000 volumes, a graded
school OF nine teachers and 800 pupils, two
roller mills, windmill factory, and many other
industries. The state experimental silk sta>
tion is located here. 1t is the only state inN
stitution for breeding silk worms and reeling
silk on this continent. 1t isattracting great
deal of attention, as it is expected that it will
be demonstrated by this institution that the
production OF reeled silk-the silk of comS
merce-will be one of the greatest coming in
dUstries OF Kansas and the west.
The price Of real estate is lower in central
Kansas than further west, as the multitude
are now going farther and fsring worse
Farms sell near this town at from SIS to $40
an acre, according to improvements and dis
tance from town. Good grazing farms can
be bought for $15 per acre, with running
water and fenced. All kinds of property is
now rising in value quite rapidly; great ac>
tiyity prevails and fortunes are being made.
RoBERT H. LACKRY.